Thursday, February 4, 2021

Many major projects have been carried out and completed on Quebec’s historic canals in the past year. The year 2021 will see the remaining ongoing projects completed.

In 2015 and 2016, the Government of Canada announced investments of more than $255 million to protect and preserve Parks Canada’s five historic canals in Quebec. Through these significant investments, Parks Canada is able to protect these exceptional sites so that current and future generations can safely use them and enjoy a quality experience. 

The major projects that have been carried out through these investments include the following:

• repairing many sections of the Chambly and Lachine canals’ walls, which will extend their service life significantly and preserve their integrity;
• rehabilitating structures, such as bridges and footbridges, including the Atwater and Wellington footbridges, weirs, tunnels and Lachine and Chambly locks;
• building the very first cyclo-pedestrian roundabout on the Island of Montréal;
• extending a portion of the Lachine Canal path, between the Atwater footbridge and Des Seigneurs Street;
• rehabilitating the Chambly and Sainte‑Anne‑de‑Bellevue jetties;
• rehabilitating marine structures in all the canals;
• rebuilding the roof of the Superintendent’s house in Saint‑Ours;
• performing major repairs to the Carillon lock’s vertical door.

For more than five years now, shoreline users, boaters and visitors have had to deal with the impacts of an increasing number of these construction projects. This is in addition to unexpected operational failures, as well as navigation interruptions relating to weather conditions or other factors beyond our control. For example, the technical failures of the Sainte‑Anne‑de‑Bellevue lock during the 2020 season required repairs to the upper brackets of the lock gates, which showed significant signs of deformation. This work was completed in the fall of 2021.  Although the Agency made every effort to minimize the inconveniences caused to the public and boaters by the various projects on the canals, Parks Canada is aware that the habits of some visitors may have been disrupted. Therefore, the whole team wishes to thank them for their patience and cooperation, and hopes that they will benefit from the new improvements in the years to come.

All of these investments reflect Parks Canada’s commitment to protecting our national treasures, now and for generations to come. They enable families, both young and old, to connect with our historic sites, as well as provide an opportunity for the province to strengthen its position as a major tourist destination.

The good news is that the remaining projects are to be completed in the coming months, just in time for the next boating season. It’s now time to plan your visit to Quebec’s waterways—the destination of choice for your 2021 vacation...a historic experience!